Arif: It's unfair to make us leave BAM now

Mohd Arif Abdul Latif (right) and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub celebrate after beat Tan Wee Gieen and Teo Ee Yi during the May Bank National Circuit Grand Prix Finals at Juara stadium yesterday.Mohd Arif and Nur Mohd Azriyn won 11-21, 21-15,22-20.(20/12/2015/S.S.KANESAN/The Star)

KUALA LUMPUR: Thomas Cupper Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and his partner Nur Azriyn Ayob have been axed from the national men's doubles team to give way for younger players.

And the decision by Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) head coach Cheah Soon Kit on Monday did not go well with Arif as he claimed it was unfair.

Independent shuttlers Arif and Azriyn were asked to severe their ties with sponsors before they joined BAM before the Thomas Cup Finals in Bangkok, Thailand, last month.

"Now, they just dropped us. Initially, they told us we'll be in the team until July," said the 28-year-old Arif.

"Now, they want to focus on players under 21. We're disappointed," he added.

Arif's selection into the Thomas Cup squad courted controversy as the independent shuttler had never played in major tournaments before the Finals - questioning the rationale on his inclusion in the team when there were several better players, who were fitter and experienced.

Then, Soon Kit stated that Arif was one of the better players based on a three-day trial they had.